A wise man once said never regret anything in life because at one time it was exactly what you wanted.

I had three opportunities to join Toulon when I was with the Ospreys, but turned every one down.

Do I regret not joining a side who went on to become European champions? Well, put it this way — I don’t regret sticking with my home region and having the great times I had.

I thought we were going to win the Heineken Cup and we probably had the team to do so, with the likes of Tommy Bowe, Filo Tiatia, Mike Phillips, Marty Holah, Adam Jones, Ryan Jones, Jerry Collins and Alun Wyn Jones.

Shane's final Ospreys match ended in Magners League glory against Leinster at the RDS

Only Cuthbert can make the choice. For me, it meant so much to play for Wales I don’t think I could have done anything that would jeopardise that possibility.

But of course there are never any guarantees and Cuthbert has started only seven of the 24 Tests Wales have played since the last World Cup.

I can understand him thinking that a change would take him out of the goldfish bowl and perhaps allow him to rediscover his form in an environment where his every action wasn’t being scrutinised to a minute degree.

Sport is there to be enjoyed and it would be nice to see the big man playing the game with a smile on his face again.

He takes things to heart and on the field he can look on the point of despair after making a mistake, but he’s a top, top lad and I know how hard he has been trying to get back to his very best. At times, I have felt for the guy.

So perhaps he’s thinking a change would be best for him, to get away from it all.

It worked for Rhys Priestland when he joined Bath.

He had hit a wall of negativity at the time, but he has turned his situation around at Bath and is playing great rugby again.

(Image: Getty)

It isn’t about running away. It’s about taking stock at a particular time and deciding where you’d be happiest and what is the most suitable environment to play your best rugby.

He obviously wants to kick-start his career and I hope the decision he makes works out for him.

DRAGONS NOT HELPING THEIR NORTH CAUSE ONE BIT

Imagine if you were George North sitting at home watching the Dragons as they crashed to a frankly embarrassing 47-13 defeat at the Scarlets.

How would you feel?

There has been a lot of positivity coming out of the Gwent region this season, much of it off the field. They have made some decent signings and clearly have people in charge who are determined and ambitious.

But after they leaked seven tries in Llanelli, North could have been forgiven for thinking: “God, do I join a side who are performing so badly?”

I am not simply having a go at the Dragons while they are down.

They are to be commended for what has been happening off the pitch this term and the addition of Richard Hibbard, Ross Moriarty, Jordan Williams and Rhodri Williams will make a difference on the field next season.

Unless they start hoovering up a few All Blacks or other top-rank Test men it is likely to take the Dragons a good couple of years, possibly longer, before they can even think about competing for silverware.

North is a winner who has played in Grand Slam sides and a triumphant Lions Test series. Is he going to want to spend the prime years of his career as part of a team who are rebuilding with all the hitches and glitches that can involve?

The Ospreys haven’t exactly set the world alight this season, either, but they will have learned from the past five months and they still have the core of a decent squad at the Liberty. If it comes down to a straight choice between the two regions, then from a playing perspective the Ospreys look a better bet.

But if the Scarlets are involved, that’s a potential game-changer, because they are winning games and playing expansive rugby and would be an ideal team for North to be part of.

I suppose it depends on whether they actually need another wing, with the likes of Steff Evans, Johnny McNicholl, Tom Prydie and Leigh Halfpenny on hand and so many bright youngsters among their back-three options. Also, would North would want to retrace his steps after the events of five or so years ago, when it didn’t exactly end well for him in Llanelli.

So it’s a tough one, but the certainty is the Dragons’ current problems will not help their cause with North one bit.